Locals of Rupandehi have been facing lots of hassles while crossing the border to India due to the heightened security measures adopted by the Indian Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB).

Locals of Rupandehi have been facing lots of hassles
while crossing the border to India due to the heightened security measures
adopted by the Indian Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB).

According to a report published in Neal’s leading
daily My Republica, a recent incident of SSB personnel crossing the no man's
land and mistreating the locals has prompted a high level security meeting
between the ambassadors of Nepal and India, chief district officers of the
respective district administration offices (DAO) and district security chiefs.

The meeting has eased the import and export of goods
through Behaliya Customs Point, Rupandehi but the hassles for people to move
across the border remains the same.

The SSB has been accused of unnecessary checking and
misbehaving with the people travelling in and out of the country in the name of
tightening the security for India's Independence Day.

People who cross the border area for buying goods
and for health treatment are troubled by the SSB, according to the locals. Even
the tourists are obliged to tolerate the misbehavior of the SSB. It has been
around two weeks that the SSB has tightened security in the border areas.

Few weeks ago, the SSB personnel mistreated and even
threatened some Nepali businessmen by crossing the no man's land. But they have
not dared to cross the no man's land after the meeting was held last Friday
between the ambassadors, CDOs and security officers. But they have been
troubling children, women and elderly people by checking them with metal
detectors and messing up their bags and luggage in the name of security checks,
locals complained.

According to Indian security sources, security has
been beefed up around the border areas in view of India's Independence Day on
August 15.

“The Indian security sources have said they have
tightened the security to curb the smuggling of explosive materials, gold and
drugs,” said Binod Prasad Singh, chief district officer (CDO) of
Rupandehi. CDO Singh also assured that
they will soon talk about this problem with their Indian counterpart so that
people will no longer have to go through the ordeal.